Aari

Aari takes its name from its tool: the aari, a fine hooked needle held like a pen. The worker pushes the hook through the cloth from above, catches the thread below, and draws up a loop — then repeats, each loop locking the last. The result is a continuous chainstitch.

Because the hook makes a stitch in one motion rather than the two a sewing needle needs, aari is substantially faster than sozni. That speed is why aari fills a kurti yoke or a dupatta field with dense floral work at a price that needle embroidery could never reach, and why it is the most wearable entry point into Kashmiri handwork.

Aari is worked on cloth stretched taut on a wooden frame, which is what keeps the tension even across a large field. The line quality is fluid and continuous — a good aari worker draws with the hook, and you can follow a single unbroken line through an entire vine.

It is often called crewel when worked in wool on a heavier ground for furnishings; the hand movement is the same, only the thread and the cloth change.

Your aari specifics: which base fabrics you use, size range and fit notes, whether pieces are made in small runs or singly, and realistic turnaround for a custom yoke. (placeholder copy — needs real detail)